Author's Note: Hi,

I wrote this as part of a series of super short stories 3 years ago. It's just been sitting there in my laptop, catching digital dust so I thought I'd post it here. It's...the story of how Ranvijay and Mahua met for the first time. This story is set at the start of their college days. Imperfect Two takes place towards the end of their college years.

I hope you guys enjoy it. I feel like you will. :)

I hope it brings that much-needed smile on your face during these stressful times. Here's sending you all tons of good wishes, good health, happiness and hugs!

Love,

S

The Story

"Hello?"

"Since when did you start saying hello this politely over the phone?"

"Quiet now. I am in class."

"Then why on earth did you pick up the phone?"

"What if it was an emergency??"

He smiled at his sister's thoughtfulness and asked, "It isn't, don't worry. But wait hang on. How come you're speaking at a normal decibel if you're in class?"

She replied, "Eh because the professor has gone out for a bit and I'm really bored. So, what's up, brother?"

He sighed and replied, "I'm...bored."

She laughed and asked, "I am not surprised. Where are you?"

He looked around his surroundings and sighed yet again. He then replied, "The SIM card centre. I should have known this would take forever. My token number is 112."

"And what token number is going on at the moment?"

"7."

She burst out laughing.

He made a face and replied, "I didn't tell you this to laugh at my plight, you little dork."

She laughed anyway, only this time it was a put on evil laugh. He shook his head, half amused and half exasperated.

"So, I am supposed to entertain you whilst you're bored but I can't entertain myself? Tsk tsk. You, brother, are truly bothersome."

He let out a chuckle. He then heard a voice call out from behind him.

"Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude!"

He looked around and saw a whirlwind of red pass by him. The next moment, he saw a guy up ahead laugh and wave at someone. The girl, dressed in a long flowy red dress, made her way to him and smiled. She then reached up and pulled the cap from the guy's head and plonked it onto her head. The guy grinned at her and turned the cap around backwards on her head.

He said, "There. Dude style." She smiled at her friend.

As he stood there watching these events unfold, he suddenly felt unreasonably happy looking at that smile. He then heard a voice from the phone near his ear.

"Who was that?"

"Huh?"

His sister repeated, "I asked who was that? And why do you sound so lost?"

He looked at the girl in front of him and replied absently, "Oh um...just some girl in a red dress."

His sister asked with a hint of suspicion in her voice, "Red dress? Since when did you start describing people's clothes?"

He frowned and replied, "It's unusual. That's all. So, tell me...uh what were you saying?"

As her sister replied to his question, he heard the girl up ahead speak again.

She asked her friend, "So what's your token number?"

Dude widened his eyes and slapped his forehead. He exclaimed, "Oh crap! I forgot to take a token."

She pursed her lips in exasperation and said, "Ugh, hold on. I'll get it." She looked around and saw a guy about her age, standing in line with a token in his hand. He seemed to be on the phone but he raised his eyes to meet hers. He held her gaze for a second before adjusting his glasses and looking away slowly. He was dressed in a navy-blue shirt and black jeans. She walked over to him and stood in front of him. She tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Um hey!"

He looked at her again and looked like he wanted to smile but was trying to contain it. She then asked, "Can you tell me where I can find a token?"

He looked at the token in his hand and said, "Oh sure." He then pointed at a red machine behind him and said, "Right over there. Good luck."

She frowned and asked, "For a token?"

He again looked like he was about to smile but he didn't. He just held his token in front of her for her to see. She looked at the token and looked up at the current number. It was now at 10. Her eyes widened and she let out a small squeal. She held her dress in a comical fashion and went sprinting to the machine. He burst out laughing at that. His sister asked on the phone, "Okay seriously, who is this girl?"

He replied, still smiling, "It's the same girl."

"The one in the red dress?"

He nodded and said, "Yeah. She's um...looking for a token."

His sister asked with an air of innocence, "So tell me about this girl...Is she cute?"

He rolled his eyes and responded, "I'm not falling for that."

The sister replied, "Ah, so you don't think she's cute?"

He replied, "Raksha, stop! She's right there."

She giggled over the phone. She then says, "Okay tell you what, you tell me about this girl and I will not tease you about it."

He was quiet for a bit. He had never heard his sister make such a bargain. Despite being the younger one, she never missed a chance to tease her brother mercilessly. He then sighed and said, "Fine. What do you want to know?"

Not believing her luck, Raksha asked quickly, "Is she cute??"

He rolled his eyes whilst smiling and said, "Hmmm."

Raksha pulled the phone away from her ear and squealed. Her brother pulled his phone away from his ear too and scowled.

She then came back on the line and asked, "Okay, so what is she doing now?"

He looked back at her. She pushed her hair out of her eyes and squinted at the instructions on the machine. She then started punching the buttons. She actually went, "Aha!" in glee when the machine spit out a token. He let out a chuckle just looking at that. His sister caught it and asked, "Brother, this girl is making you giggle!"

He replied dryly, "I did not giggle."

She replied instantly, "Please! What was that then?"

He let out a sigh. She asked hurriedly, "What? What did she do???"

He frowned and replied, "Everything is not about her!"

At this point, the red dress girl was marching back to her friend. She overheard this snatch of conversation and stopped abruptly. She then turned around and asks, "Were you talking to me?"

In his ear, he could hear his sister laughing and saying, "No honey, we're talking about you!"

He bit his lip to stop himself from grinning but failed miserably. It became a half-smile. He then shook his head and said, "No, no, sorry. I was talking to my sister. Did you get your token?"

She said, "Oh! Yes, yes I did! Lucky number 113!"

He looked down at his token. Before he could say anything, she leaned in closer and peered at the number. She then looked up at him and said, "Hey, I'm with you!"

He smiled at her. Feeling a little lost, he just nodded. His sister murmured, "Ah, this is going to be a fun story."

The red dress girl then nodded at him to say, "I'll see you soon!" and walked over to her friend. As she reached the guy, he gestured toward the one on the phone and said, "I've seen that guy before."

She shrugged and replied, "Really? Where? Seems sweet."

He nodded and said, "I think he's in our class. I've seen him during admissions."

She turned around and saw him again. He was still on the phone, but he looked up just at that point and met her eyes. She then said, "That's...good to know."

Her friend nodded knowingly and asked, "Is it now?"

She laughed and elbowed him and looked ahead.